ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · pit · mug · ball · bass · pop · branch · hide

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mug — to rob
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bass — low music
  8. pit — in a race
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. branch — a division
  11. pop — soda
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mug — a face
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pop — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com